Concrete seawall 'may only last another decade'

Carl Gavaghan, Local Democracy Reporting Service

A concrete seawall that protects an East Coast fishing village from disaster is to be repaired after it was discovered that it may only last another decade.

Scarborough Council has appointed a contractor for the scheme at Robin Hood’s Bay, which involves repairs to the large concrete seawall, approximately 160m long and 12-14m high, to the south of the village.

Jeremy Benn Associates Limited will design a scheme of works that will address the problems with the wall and subsequently project manage the repair and improvement scheme.

The scheme will repair and reinforce the wall, which is currently showing significant signs of corrosion and cracking and suffers from poor drainage.

Approximately 30% of the panels within the seawall will need replacing and it is expected that others will need to be repaired. Drainage improvements will also form a key part of the scheme.

Cllr Mike Cockerill, Cabinet Member for Major Projects said: “Major repairs and improvements to Robin Hood’s Bay’s concrete seawall are vital for the village’s longer-term protection from the power of the sea and the aggressive coastal climate.

“Following the decision to appoint a contractor, the next step will be for council offers to work with the contractor on developing a detailed design for the scheme that will address the seawall’s poor condition.”

A report into the state of the wall found it was in urgent need of repair.

It noted: “There is significant corrosion, cracking, and spalling of the concrete which in the short term poses a significant health and safety risk to users of the beach; from spalling concrete falling from the wall surface.

“Given the age and exposure of the wall, the concrete exhibits very high chloride content, therefore, corrosion will continue.

“Spalling also risks exposing the underlying mass concrete, which is assumed to be the main structural element. Damage to this or the rock anchors (if present) could risk structural failure of the wall and erosion of the underlying cliff face.”
The council expects the detailed design to be completed by spring 2019 and the works to start on site in Robin Hood’s Bay in the autumn of the same year.